Updated 2.5: MUASKinner version !!!

[nba2kstuff]

Hello friends!

Heres the current release info:

=======================================================
SKINNER version 2.5 MUA formats
(c) nba2kstuff
http://nba2kstuff.org
=======================================================

Usage: MUASKINNER filename.igb [options]

MUASKINNER [-d -h] [-v0|-v1|-v2] [-xdds|-xbmp|-xpng] xxx.igb [xxx.bmp|xxx.dds]
        -xbmp extracts bmps for each mipmap and DDS file
        -xpng extract PNGs for each mipmap and DDS
        -xdds extracts DDS only
        -v0 device hardware acceraltion mod is default
        Try using -v0 -v1 or -v2 option if your gfx card gives a create dev error
         -d debug
         -h help
         
         all options in [] are optional
         options separated by | are OR, so the command can have that option OR the other
         
Update 2.5
----------
- you can supply a simple BMP and it automatically generates the mips for you RGB flipped to import into IGB files.
- added option for IGB icons definitions RAGB in MUASKINNER.CFG. you can now export the 256x256 (xres,yres) BMP, and it will automtically flip the color and alpha channel for you. you can conversly import the 'modified' BMP back, and it will automatically flip the planes properly for you.
- added -DXT1 to automatically flip the RGB BGR when you export to BMP.
- as well, the -DXT1 also automatically flips the RGB to BGR when you import a BMP and generates all the defined mipmaps and imports them as defined in your MUASKINNER.CFG file.
- added 2 helper bat files for export and import. skinnerexport.bat, skinnerimport.bat
  -- skinnerexport file.igb will create:
     file.dds
        &
     file.512x512.bmp,
     file.256x256.bmp,
   etc as you have defined in your MUASKINNER.CFG file (see below for more deatils and examples)
  -- skinnerimport.bat takes as input:
    my.file.bmp and sticks in file.igb as defined in the MUASKINNER.CFG file
- fixed glitch that did not import the lower res scaled images in a DDS file.
       
run the testme.bat, testme2.bat, testme3.bat




Update 2.2
----------
- default option changed to -v1 for most users to not get dev error
(thx charlie_murphy for testing)



Update 2.1
----------
- added -v0 or -v1 or -v2 option for graphics cards giving Create Dev error. Direct X is unable to initialize your gfx card to for Hadware Graphics Alceration (HAL) mode. v1 and v2 offer different initialization modes, so try them if you get a create dev error.


Update 2.0
-----------
i updated the MUASKinner with tommyboy2002 glitch fixes for exracting the bmps properly. also the DDS that is extracted contains all the mipmaps as defined in the muaskinner.cfg file now also. Also now there is support for DTX5 file compression type so perhaps that might work for the bump maps that was requested (i dont know).

- change for DDS mip writing
- change to properly write out different mip planes to xbmp
(thx tommyboy2002 for testing)


-----------------------------------------------------------------
         
This is the MUASKINNER program. This simple command line program let's you more easily insert graphic skin files into the Xmen-Legends 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance games. it's very experimental and untested at this point so backup and check your files carefully till you validate it works the way you want.

INSTALLATION
------------         

Copy both the MUASKINNER.EXE and MUASKINNER.CFG to your c:\windows folder. Then you can run thr program from anywhere.   
--------------   

The key to making it work is properly defining the MUASKINNER.CFG file. In this file, you must specify each IGB file you wish to be able to edit along with the corresponding pertinent information.

the format of the CFG file is thus:

IGBFILENAME.IGB,DXT1 or DXT3 or DXT5 or -DXT1 or RAGB or ARGB,xres,yres,offsetlocation,xres2,yres2,offstlocation2,etc.

1) basically, you enter in the file the IGBFILENAME.IGB you wish to import/export.
2) next enter the graphic file type DXT1 or DXT3 or DXT5 or -DXT1 or RAGB or ARGB
3) then the xand y resolution of the image, along with it's offset location in the file. You need to download from http://nba2kstuff.org/mua, the TextureFinder 2.1 program to search for the image in the file as before. once you find the offset location (or use Youngbloods guide for xmen2 IGB files), then enter that filename, resolution,and offset for each resolution image.
4) repeat #3 for each x,y resoltion of the image you wish to be able to import your image into.
5) terminate the linewith a period "."

for example in MUA, we could define elektra's IGB file as follows:

---- MUASKINNER.CFG --------
1203.igb,DXT1,512,512,192183.
----------------------------

if you know more of the smaller size images and locations, add them following. For example, if you find the 256x256 image begins at 323255 (which is just for testing), then you would enter:


---- MUASKINNER.CFG -----------------------
1203.igb,DXT1,512,512,192183,256,256,323255.
-------------------------------------------

The above is just an example, but
http://drath.explodehost.com/gamersjournal/rpg/pc/xmenlegends2/skininsertion.php
has a listing of IGB files with the corresponding offsets for xmen legends 2 files skins.

once you have the CFG file defined, you can then use the MUASKINNER program to insert DDS skin images into the IGB files you have defined in the CFG file.

Here are some example command lines for how to use the program


EXPORT examples
--------------------------

c:>   MUASKINNER -xdds 1203.igb

will extract the 512x512 DDS (1st defined) file skin from the 1203.igb file

c:>  MUASKINNER -xbmp 1203.igb

will extract each of the 512x512,256x256 skins defined in the example MUASKINNER.CFG file as
1203.512x512.bmp
1203.256x256.bmp


IMPORT examples
---------------

To import you must have a properly formatted DDS file. YOu can use the PHOTOSHOP DDS plugin, and make sure to save the file with 6 num scales MIPS (images). For example, the DDS file defined with the maximum resolution 512x512 should be saved with the # of mip levels to be 6 or as many as you define in the MUASKINNER.CFG file.

to import the command would be: 


c:> MUASKINNER 1203.igb 1203.mymod.dds

in our example, we saved in PHOTOSHOP the DDS file to have 6 mip levels created. the MUASKINNER.CFG has only the 512x512 image skin defined, and the 256x256 also (although it is not correct and for example testing purposes only)


Now the 1203.igb has the 512x512 image and the 256x256 image imported after running teh above command.



--------- more examples with the CFG file ----------

Theorectically, xmen legends 2 might work, but i dont have any files to test here. The idea would be like this:

using youngblood's X-factor cyclops info as:
X-Factor Cyclops (Original Cyclops, 0120)
256X256
Start: 35677
Size: 65535
End: 101212
128X128
Start: 130593
Size: 16383
End: 146976
64X64
Start: 146977
Size: 4095
End: 151072
32X32
Start: 151073
Size: 1023
End: 152096
16X16
Start: 32893
Size: 255
End: 33148


we would define a line in the MUASKINNER.CFG file as:
-------------------------- MUASKINNER.CFG --------------------------------------
0120.igb,DXT3,256,256,35677,128,128,130593,64,64,146977,32,32,151073,16,16,32893.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like this, if people in the community wish to help create a master CFG file with all the filenames, resolutions and offsets, than that would help everyone for sure!
Also if more files can be provided to test that woould be good also.


caveats
-------

backup all your files, and check them thouroughly in the game and the texture finder program.
if people can upload more files to test that would be good also.

hope that helps to make the skinning program easier.


check the test1.bat file for example commands.

Happy skinning!!!


download here:

http://nba2kstuff.org/mua
   

[thetommyboy2002]

Excellent.
Thank you, your tools are a real boon to Modding this game.

[nba2kstuff]

yes i'll be headed away for a week or so. i'll be headed deep into the village my brother is teaching some children at. these children live ina poor village in a 3rd world county (which is where im stationed now for the next 3 months or so). so, i'll be helping him teach these childrensome english, math, and computers. it's hard here and will be harder where he is im sure. water is precious, and conevniences are few, so it's a hardship, but i feel it will be worthwhile to help the children in the village.
i'll pop in as i can and see you all soon im sure!
takecare and happy modding!

[idrinkdrpepper]

water is precious, and conevniences are few

So, does that mean they don't have wireless internet there?

[Charlie_Murphy]

Has anybody successfully converted XML2 skins for MUA yet?  I can't get mine to work.

[Noelemahc]

What exact problems are you having? What's so hard about carving a part of a file, appending a DDS header to it, editing it, stripping the header and inserting stuff back in?

[Charlie_Murphy]

What exact problems are you having? What's so hard about carving a part of a file, appending a DDS header to it, editing it, stripping the header and inserting stuff back in?

I understand the concept. I'm getting errors trying to run MUASKINNER at the command line.



I get an error message saying "Create Dev".


What the hell does that mean?  ???  :'(

[Noelemahc]

As I don't generally make errors, I don't generally get error messages. As such, I generally refuse to help people that don't describe what exactly were they doing step-by-step to cause the error to take place.

[thetommyboy2002]

Useful info would be:
Operating system
what you type in at the command prompt.
Where you installed the programme.
It's not an error I've had before.

[Charlie_Murphy]

As I don't generally make errors, I don't generally get error messages. As such, I generally refuse to help people that don't describe what exactly were they doing step-by-step to cause the error to take place.

muaskinner -xbmp <filename>.igb
Error message. "Create Dev" I click OK. Check my files, nothing has changed.

After making my own .dds files in photoshop using the texture finder


muaskinner <filename>.igb <filename>.dds
Error message. "Create Dev" I click OK. Check my files, nothing has changed.

The "testme.bat" files gave me the same error described above. Except it actually creates the dds files. I have defined the filename and offsets in the .cfg file. I can't figure out what the problem is.

By the way, it looks like he's playin with his wiener in your sig

Useful info would be:
Operating system

Windows XP home edition. Yeah it is quite odd.

[nba2kstuff]

hello Charlie_Murphy!
i been travelling (out of mind lol!), and able now only to pop in and read usage of the programs i made to support MUA.
The Create Dev error is happening becuase your graphic card doesnt support some of the initialization options tht are being used.

here is update 2.1 so hoepfully it can help those getting this error:

Update 2.1
----------
- added -v0 or -v1 or -v2 option for graphics cards giving Create Dev error. Direct X is unable to initialize your gfx card for Hadware Graphics Alceration (HAL) mode. v1 and v2 offer different initialization modes, so try them if you get a create dev error.

so for example now try the other options like:

muaskinner -v0 -xbmp 7801.igb

if that doesnt work, try:

muaskinner -v1 -xbmp 7801.igb

if you still get the same error try:

muaskinner -v2 -xbmp 7801.igb

hopefully one of those directX initilization modes will work on your gfx card.

let me know if that fix will work for you who gets that warning/error message.

[nba2kstuff]

i'll think about adding some user interface to muaskinner sometime later after some glitches are debugged and we have a good and useful CFG file for it that would make it more friendly (and less experimental).
Hope it can help make the modding easier for you all for now!
happy new year and peace!

[nba2kstuff]

Update to version 2.2
------
the default format is set to dx_hal now so for most users, that error/warning message should be gone now and work better!
thanks Charlie_Murphy for testing it!

[nba2kstuff]

Update 2.5
----------
- works with icons now!
- you can supply a simple BMP and it automatically generates the mips for you RGB flipped to import into IGB files both for icons and mesh IGBs.
- added option for IGB icons definitions RAGB in MUASKINNER.CFG. you can now export the 256x256 (xres,yres) BMP, and it will automtically flip the color and alpha channel for you. you can conversly import the 'modified' BMP back, and it will automatically flip the planes properly for you.
- added -DXT1 to automatically flip the RGB BGR when you export to BMP.
- as well, the -DXT1 also automatically flips the RGB to BGR when you import a BMP.
- added 2 helper bat files for export and import. skinnerexport.bat, skinnerimport.bat
  -- skinnerexport file.igb will create:
     file.dds
        &
     file.512x512.bmp,
     file.256x256.bmp,
   etc as you have defined in your MUASKINNER.CFG file (see below for more deatils and examples)
  -- skinnerimport.bat takes as input:
    my.file.bmp and sticks in file.igb as defined in the MUASKINNER.CFG file
- fixed glitch that did not import the lower res scaled images in a DDS file.
       
run the testme.bat, testme2.bat, testme3.bat


changes to MUAKSKINNER.CFG

MUASKINNER.CFG (new additions)
--------------
file_icons.igb,ragb,256,256,6217.
--------------


will allow for import and export of BMP to/from icon files.

the types for file type is changed to -DXT1 so that will automatically flip the RGB to BGR when you export and import from a BMP, for ex)

MUASKINNER.CFG (new additions)
--------------
1203.igb,-DXT1,512,512,192183.
--------------



so now you can use a single plane BMP, and it will automatically make the mipmaps, and flip the colors and do the import for files specified in the MUASKINNER.CFG file.

it's all tested ad should work pretty good!

good luck and happy skinning!

[Charlie_Murphy]

Excellent work as always nba2kstuff. Much appreciated.